Description: Soft, roughly tadpole-shaped fish that grows up to 10 cm in size. The head is relatively large, blunt and rounded and the body is smooth, tapering to the tail. It has a single long dorsal fin and a similar anal fin, which should stop short of the caudal fin in this species. Colour is usually mainly a light brown to yellow, but colouration and markings can be variable as it usually depends on the habitat, they can be both almost uniform in colour or heavily patterned. There is a sucker on the underside which it uses to cling to rock or tough seaweed.

Habitat: More commonly found under boulders, rocks or clinging to seaweeds on the lower shore, but sometimes recorded subtidally, down to a reported 30 m.

Distribution: Found all around Britain and Ireland.

Similar Species: Could be confused with Liparis liparis, but they can be distinguished by looking at the dorsal and anal fins, which stop short of the caudal fin in Liparis montagui but overlap it in Liparis liparis. Could potentially also be confused with juvenile lumpsuckers but this should be unlikely.

Key Identification Features:

• Tadpole-shaped fish with relatively large, blunt head.
• Single long dorsal fin and similar anal fin.
• Variable colouration, usually suited to habitat with base colour of light brown.
• Dorsal and anal fins stop short of caudal fin.

Distribution Map from NBN: Liparis montagui at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Liparis montagui at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Liparis montagui

WoRMS: Liparis montagui at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Liparis montagui (Donovan, 1804). AphiaID: 127220.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Chordata; Vertebrata; Gnathostomata; Osteichthyes; Actinopterygii; Actinopteri; Teleostei; Perciformes; Cottoidei; Liparidae; Liparis